


No Strings Attached

by LaylaTheChip



Series: On The Wrong Side Of The Sunrise (Series) [2]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Assassins & Hitmen, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Dystopia, M/M, Manipulation, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Red String of Fate, Sexual Tension, like a lot of sexual tension, side KawaGoshi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:00:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 14,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27342394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaylaTheChip/pseuds/LaylaTheChip
Summary: Shirabu Kenjirou had been raised on three fundamental rules, drilled into his head from the moment he was old enough to understand them. He recited them in his head whenever he found the chance, before he fell asleep, while he was walking down the street, during the silences of meal time with his mother and father, purely so he didn’t slip up, It was his purpose after all.(A side story to On the Wrong Side of the Sunrise)(Takes place before on the wrong side of the sunrise)
Relationships: Semi Eita/Shirabu Kenjirou
Series: On The Wrong Side Of The Sunrise (Series) [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1967491
Comments: 16
Kudos: 76





	1. Three Rules

**Author's Note:**

> This can be read both with and without reading on the wrong side of the sunrise, but I suggest you do read it first. This takes place before the events of on the wrong side of the sunrise. I hope you enjoy! <3

Shirabu Kenjirou had been raised on three fundamental rules, drilled into his head from the moment he was old enough to understand them. He recited them in his head whenever he found the chance, before he fell asleep, while he was walking down the street, during the silences of meal time with his mother and father, purely so he didn’t slip up, It was his purpose after all. 

_Rule 1#: Family are the only ones you can trust._ He had been taught this first, when there were still stars in his eyes, when he was still stupid. His mother had sat him down, telling him that his family would not betray him, but everyone else would. Blood is thicker than water after all. 

_Rule 2#: Ties are made to be severed._ While this rule was vague, it held the most weight. Ties only held you back, and if something didn’t benefit you, you didn’t need it. The main thing this rule applied to was in the department of soulmates. The red string trailing from his finger was a weakness. 

His mother and father benefited from each other, they had built their empire together. But when it came to Shirabu, he was given instructions to sever the tie to his soulmate, though their death. And once he did that, he would be ready to find happiness. 

_Rule 3#: Power is the only thing that will bring happiness._ Shirabu noticed this in every move his parents made, everything leading to power, more and more power. They had taught him that the only way to have power was by having nothing that can be taken away from him. Only then would he find true happiness. 

()()()

Shirabu was sick of waiting for his soulmate to come around. Sure, one day they would run into each other, maybe on the street, or through a glance out his window. They were destined to meet some day after all, but Shirabu had never been fond of waiting. 

He waved off his father's curious glance as he slipped out the front door, watching the red string around his finger as it danced, _mocking_. He hated the string, it was the only thing that held him back, after all. He followed the string’s trail, praying that it didn’t go far, making notes of his surroundings as he walked. 

He found himself approaching a dingy looking corner store when he made eye contact with someone leaving. He was attractive -though Shirabu knew that was a thought he wasn’t allowed to think- with ash blonde hair, the tips dyed dark, piercing eyes that felt as if they stared into his soul. His soulmate, _his burdon_ , slowly smiled at the sight of the ribbon connecting the two, rushing over to meet Shirabu on the street corner where he stood. 

“Wow, this is crazy,” He seemed at a loss for words. Shirabu plastered a smile on his face, trying to look sociable. 

“I know,” He laughed. His soulmate looked him up and down. 

“Do you maybe want to go get coffee? If you’re not busy that is,” Shirabu nodded politely, formulating a plan in his head. 

“That would be lovely.” 

The coffee shop they went to wasn’t the nicest _,_ but it was cozy. They sat tucked away in the corner, his soulmate looking at him like an excited puppy. 

“Oh! I’m sorry I forgot to introduce myself earlier, I’m Semi, Semi Eita,” He reached a hand across the table, which Shirabu hesitantly shook. 

“Shirabu Kenjirou,” Semi retracted his hand, _stupid_ smile still everpresent on his face, though it had gone soft, like Shirabu could meld it like putty. 

“Shirabu Kenjirou,” Semi tested the name on his tongue, And Shirabu hated, _loved,_ Despised, how the words sounded from his mouth. 

Shirabu made polite conversation, changing the topic any time things got too deep, ordering a hot chocolate when a waitress finally came to serve them, which Semi teased him for relentlessly. He felt his phone buzz in his pocket but pointedly ignored it. He couldn’t have anything distracting him when he was _so close_. Semi seemed to avoid talking about himself as well, but overall he seemed incredibly outgoing, in a way Shirabu could never dream to be. 

When they had finally finished talking and Semi had downed his last bit of coffee, Shirabu offered to walk Semi home, the latter agreed, holding out his hand once he stood. Shirabu took it, relishing in how the hand felt around his. He shook the thought out of his head, _he should know better_. 

They walked down an empty sidewalk, all dingy apartments and bricked alleyways between unused office buildings. Shirabu took his chance, roughly grabbing on to Semi’s shirt, pulling them both into one of the alleyways, shoving him against the wall. Semi’s eyes grew wide, startled, and he looked at Shirabu with confusion, before his eyes flickered down, down to Shirabu’s mouth. This didn’t go unnoticed, and with frustration Shirabu surged forward pressing their lips together. The kiss was rough, the uncomfortable clacking of teeth among the hot press of their lips. Shirabu felt Semi biting his lip and repressed a groan. His mind was chanting a mantra of _more, more, more._ It was when Semi reached back, threading his fingers through Shirabu's hair and giving it a light tug, that the alarms in his head caught up. _This was getting out of hand_. Shirabu slid the blade he kept in his sleeve into his hand, wasting no time holding it to Semi’s throat while he was distracted. 

_Why had he done that, why had he let himself be persuaded. He had let Semi get in the way, but the knife in his hand would be his solution._

“I can’t afford any distractions,” Shirabu said, voice low, filled with misplaced anger. Semi’s once surprised expression turned amused.

“Oh? Distractions?” In a fluid movement, he twisted Shirabu’s arm, causing him to drop the knife. While Shirabu was still startled, Semi took the opportunity to grab his shoulders, switching them so that he was pinned against the wall. 

“Well I’m sorry, but you’ll have to try harder than that sweetheart,” Semi murmured in his ear. Shirabu shuddered, mind racing a mile a minute. Semi lifted an arm off him, hand slipping into his pocket, digging around till he found what he was looking for, pulling out a pen. Uncapping it with his teeth, he gently grabbed Shirabu’s arm, scribbling something down. Shirabu squirmed, the scratch of the pen uncomfortable, but Semi’s hand steadied him enough for him to finish writing. Finally he was released as Semi began walking down the alleyway.

“Hope to see you again soon Shirabu,” He said, waving. Shirabu stared down at his arm, a phone number written in the black ink. 


	2. A phone number

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter! I'm gonna try and update daily, but we'll honestly see how that goes.

Shirabu Kenjirou walked home, his hands clenched into fists so tight that his blunt nails left red half moons in his palms. He had _failed_ . He had tried and he had _failed_. And it was stupid Semi’s fault. He had half the mind to cry then and there on the empty street corner, but that would be too close to giving up. 

Looking down at the phone number scrawled on his arm his mind wandered to Semi’s parting words. ‘Hope to see you again Shirabu,’ Shirabu groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. What kind of _idiot_ was Semi? He had just had a knife to his throat and said _that?!_

His mind wandered back further, to their first moments in the alleyway. Shirabu had lost his composure, had given in. _It wouldn’t happen again_. And that was a promise, whispered to himself in the hopes that saying the words would make them ring true. 

It was Semi's goal wasn’t it? He was being tricked, led on. Semi _manipulated_ him into kissing him, he began jumping to conclusions as soon as he had a reason to place the blame on someone other than himself. It fell under rule 1# _Family are the only ones you can trust._ Staring at the ink on his arm once again, he resisted the urge to scrub it off, to scratch at the skin till it was raw, to remove the traces of his failure, but the reasonable part of him decided _not_ to do so. 

When Shirabu finally made it home he was indescribably exhausted, ready to lay down, pretend the day had never happened, but as soon as he entered the door his mother flagged him down, standing in his way.

“Kenjirou, where were you?” She asked, gaze emotionless, but he could hear the twinge of anger lingering in her voice. “I sent you a message, you never responded.” _Shit, he had forgotten about her text._

“I went out for coffee, I must not have heard your message. I apologize,” He wasn’t _lying_ per say, just not telling the full truth. 

“By yourself?” She asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes.” He lied, making sure to keep eye contact with her. Her eyes flickered to his arm, the phone number written on it, but Shirabu shifted, concealing the writing against his side. She looked at him disapprovingly but gestured for him to leave. 

“Fine fine, just don’t let it happen again.” He nodded, quickly making his escape into his bedroom. He unceremoniously plopped down on his bed, drained from the day's events. Pulling out his phone, he did in fact see his mother’s messages asking where he was, ignoring those, he unlocked his phone opening a new message. 

He quickly typed in Semi's number before he changed his mind, hesitating on the contact name. _Soulmate_ He typed out, before quickly removing it. It sounded too much like something a sappy couple would set as each other's contacts, maybe with a heart next to it. _Bane of my existence_ He typed, before deciding that no, that wouldn’t do. He was never one for dramatics anyways. Making up his mind with deft fingers he quickly typed _Semi,_ before saving the contact and closing out of his phone, shoving it under his pillow. _Out of sight, out of mind._

Shirabu tried to enjoy the rest of his day, but everything he did just brought him back to Semi Eita. He was an anomaly. Shirabu had held a knife to his throat and gotten a phone number out of it. It just didn’t make sense. 

Letting out a sound of frustration, Shirabu pulled out his phone once again, typing out a message to Semi. He was surprised when the response was almost immediate. 

Semi   
  
What's with you? I try to kill you and you give me your number. Are you stupid..?   
  
I'm assuming this is Shirabu?   
  
Yes. It is.   
  
Shirabu Kenjirou, We were put together by fate itself, if you think a knife to my throat will make me stray then you’ve underestimated my stubbornness.   
  


Shirabu, upon seeing the message, felt his face heat up. Out of pure embarrassment (That he would later call anger), he discarded his phone once again, shoving it in one of the drawers of his bedside table. He huffed, laying down on his bed, pulling the comforter over his head like he used to when he was a little kid and he was still afraid of monsters and what not. 

Taking a few deep breaths, Shirabu forced his eyes closed, trying to clear his mind and fall asleep. And though his mind wandered to the press of lips against his, the hand in his hair, he eventually fell asleep. 

When Shirabu woke it was to the buzzing of his phone in his drawer. He had never been a heavy sleeper, and so even a noise that distant could shake him awake. 

Groggily, he reached out, squinting at the phone's bright light. _It was Semi_. 

Semi   
  
Hey Shirabu, do you want to go on a date later today?   
  
I'm sorry...What?   
  
A date, you know, soulmate things.   
  
No...?   
  
Are you sure?   
  
You know what, fine. Tell me a time and a place, I'll be there.   
  


Shirabu had no idea what he was about to do. A date…? With the one he was supposed to kill..? But the rational part of his brain decided it would be a good opportunity to try and learn more about him and his weaknesses, and _maybe_ try to off him again. He could only hope Semi didn’t have any ulterior motives. 

The only issue Shirabu had now was that he had _no fucking clue_ what to wear for a date. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed reading this! <3


	3. A date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y e s. A noth e r chap t er

Shirabu spent the rest of his morning feeling incredibly antsy. He had  _ no clue  _ what to wear on a date, what to do on a date, how to act. He paced circles in his bedroom, not understanding why it was bothering him, it shouldn’t be bothering him,  _ but it was.  _

He dug through his closet, tossing everything on the bed only to hang it up again and start the process over when he still wasn’t satisfied. It wasn’t like he could  _ ask  _ anyone for advice. The only people he  _ could  _ ask were his parents but that obviously wasn’t going to happen. If they knew about his date they would be… not so forgiving. 

Shirabu hesitated in front of his mirror, fussing with the outfit he had (finally) elected to wear. He combed out his bangs with his fingers, only making his hair messier. Shirabu groaned, snatching a comb off of his desk. Satisfied with his appearance, he shot Semi a text, tossing his phone to the side and laying back on his bed.  _ This was going to be a long day.  _

Semi  
  
I'm ready. Where are we meeting?  
  
Excited are we? I'll send you the address.  
  


Shirabu could imagine Semi smirking at the phone, his heart (not) fluttering at the thought of Semi staring at the message, also getting ready for their date. Shirabu allowed a small smile to form on his face, hushing his brain when it tried to form a million excuses as to why he was smiling. 

Walking down the street, Shirabu’s eyes flitted around the space. He still had memories from when he was little, when everywhere had been so much…  _ nicer.  _ Before The Agency had the majority of public control, before everything had well, gone to shit. Now the world was dull,  _ dingy _ . 

Shirabu tensed when he met eyes with Semi, noting that they weren’t far from where they had originally met. He had forgone bringing his phone, to avoid distractions, but thinking back he kind of hoped he had it as an extra protective measure. Shirabu brushed off his unease, approaching Semi, keeping his expression placid. 

“No trying to kill me?” Semi raised an eyebrow, Shirabu glared,

“I underestimated you last time, that doesn’t mean my goal has been diminished,” Semi chuckled lightly, as if they had shared an inside joke.

“Oh, I’ve been meaning to ask, do you make out with everyone you’re trying to kill? Especially  _ the day _ you meet them?” He teased, and Shirabu tensed at the accusation.

“That was your fault,” He muttered, trying to disguise his embarrassment. 

“How so?’ Semi nudged his shoulder, a playful glint in his eyes. 

“You kept looking at me like  _ that, _ ” Shirabu’s frustration seeped into his voice, and Semi only seemed more amused. He  _ hated  _ it. 

Semi continued walking, content with not telling Shirabu  _ where _ they were going. Luckily the destination wasn’t far. Semi stopped outside an old-fashioned diner. Shirabu raised an eyebrow.

“We’re going out for food  _ again?  _ We’ve already done that,” Semi gave him a pointed look. 

“Well excuse me if I haven’t eaten yet, Have you?” 

“No..” Semi snorted,

“See? So you can’t talk.” Shirabu scoffed but followed Semi into the diner regardless. Shirabu took a seat across from the ash-blonde, keeping his head down when the waitress handed them their menus. He  _ hated  _ it, hated, hated, hated… 

“Shirabu, I have a real question this time,” Shirabu glanced up curiously, “When you said you couldn’t afford any distractions, what did you mean?” Shirabu hesitated,  _ could he tell the truth?  _

“Rule number two,” He muttered, and at Semi’s confused look he continued, “Ties are made to be severed,” He recited, he knew the words like the back of his hand, better than that even. 

“Where’d you learn that..?” Semi leaned forward, elbows resting on the table. His eyes bore holes in Shirabu, and he squirmed under the intensity of his gaze.

“My parents of course, they want what's best for me, and so they gave me the three rules. It’s what I live by,” Shirabu kept his voice steady,  _ why was he saying this, he was being stupid. _

“What are these rules..?”  _ Don’t say it, he’s manipulating you, stop.  _ Shirabu recited the rules, and Semi’s expression morphed with every word. 

“Shirabu…” His name, spoken softly. “I know you don’t trust me but,  _ You’re being manipulated,”  _ Three words, three words that would shatter Shirabu’s entire world. Not yet, right now they would be eerie, but unbelievable. How could his parents be manipulating him? They just  _ cared.  _

Shirabu was about to argue so, but they were interrupted when a waitress came to take their order. 

“Are you two soulmates?” She asked after writing down their order,  _ nosy _ . Shirabu scoffed when Semi smiled wide.

“We are,” His heart ached at the words, he liked the idea of being Semi’s soulmate, not that it mattered. He was being held back, that’s why he had to kill him. Semi’s face turned serious once again when the waitress stalked away. 

“I know you don’t believe me now, but  _ please  _ think about what I said,” And the pleading look in Semi’s eyes almost made him want to hope.

“Fine,” He muttered. The smile Semi gave in return was blinding, and he reached out across the table to squeeze Shirabu’s hand, which set alarms off in his head.  _ You can’t do this, it goes against everything you know.  _

When Shirabu got home, he closed the door softly so as not to alert anyone that he had arrived, to avoid any extra questioning as to where he had been. And he had been successful until he entered the living room, where his mother and father sat, matching looks of disapproval on their faces.

“Kenjirou, where were you?” His mother asked, imposing.

“I went to look at the new shopping district,” He felt as if he’d burn under the heat of their gazes.

“You’re lying,” Shirabu’s blood ran cold. “We went through your phone, We know  _ everything _ ,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter, things are gonna get more exciting next chapter trust me. Thank you for reading! <3


	4. A betrayal of trust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really like this chapter not gonna lie. I hope you guys like it too!

“You’re lying.” Shirabu’s mother snapped, “We went through your phone, we know  _ everything _ .” She reached behind her, pulling Shirabu’s phone out and dangling it in front of his face. His blood ran cold, and he quickly reached out to snatch it from her hand.

“It’s not what you think!” He said hurriedly, “I’ve been trying to kill him! He just- I just-” Shirabu tripped over his words, tears threatening to spill over his cheeks. His mind chanting a mantra of  _ weak, weak, weak.  _ His father looked at him unbelieving,

“I expected better from you, I didn’t know I raised someone so  _ pathetic _ .” He spat, “We didn’t raise you like this Kenjirou, We had incredibly low expectations and you still let us down. Remember the rules.” 

_ Shirabu, you’re being manipulated _ . Semi’s words rang in his head.  _ You’re being manipulated. _ That couldn’t be right, it couldn’t. They cared about him. They just wanted what was best for him… Right?  _ Right?  _ The more he thought about it the more it made sense.  _ Everything, everything  _ they had done, they had said, even the three rules, the ones he  _ lived by _ . 

“You’re...manipulating me.. You don’t care about me, you only care about your own gain..” Shirabu’s voice shook with every word. “ _ You would kill me if I didn’t do you any good”  _ Eyes widening with the realization he stared at his parents disbelievingly. He had expected looks of surprise, betrayal, denial but instead all he got was  _ blank, blank, blank _ . 

“Kenjirou, stop this now. One more wrong step and-” He cut his mother off before she could finish.

“And what? You’ll  _ kill  _ me?” Shirabu took a few hesitant steps backwards “Y-You’re terrible, Why would you do this?” He gestured wildly, convinced he looked insane. His mother looked to his father, gaining a small nod.

“Power is the only thing that makes you happy, for us that includes power over  _ you.”  _ Shirabu was taken over by an indescribable amount of emotions, none of them pleasant. Slowly he backed away before turning and running out the front door. No one made any moves to stop him.

Shirabu ran, and ran, and ran. He didn’t stop running until he felt his legs would give out and he was more wheezing then breathing. At some point tears began to streak down his face, but he made no move to wipe them away. He had nothing except for the clothes on his back and the phone he had snatched from his Mother’s taunting grip. 

Collapsing onto a bench Shirabu tried his best to catch his breath, his mind spinning. Night had fallen and he still had no idea what he was going to do for the night. The streets weren’t safe at night, there was nowhere  _ truly _ safe, and so Shirabu swallowed his pride and dialed the only contact on his phone,  _ other than his parents of course _ . 

“Shirabu..?” Semi’s voice was laced with sleep “Was this on accident or..?” 

“Semi, can you come pick me up?” Semi must have sensed the urgency in his voice because he didn’t ask why.

“Sure, just tell me where you are,” 

Semi had shown up not much longer, surprised to see the tears staining Shirabu’s cheeks. 

“What happened?” He asked softly, And Shirabu hated it,  _ hated, hated, hated _ …

“You were right,” He mumbled, more to himself then Semi. Semi nodded at his words.

“You can stay with me,” 

Shirabu kept his distance, trailing behind Semi as he walked, neither of them speaking.  _ Rule #1…  _ He cut off his brain before it could get any further. He couldn’t trust his family, he couldn’t trust anyone.  _ Rule #1 Trust  _ _ no one _ . Shirabu couldn’t even trust his own mind, let alone anyone else in his twisted word. He wished he had something sharp with him, he wished he didn’t have to get help from Semi, he wished he could disappear. 

Eventually Semi and Shirabu rounded the corner, approaching a dingy apartment complex. Semi wordlessly led him up to the third floor opening what seemed to be his apartment door.

“Make yourself at home,” He held the door open and Shirabu entered, thoroughly unsurprised at its lack of cleanliness. “Do you want something to eat? Drink?” Shirabu raised an eyebrow.

“Are you ever  _ not  _ thinking of food?” 

“Shut it,” Semi said, with no bite. “I was  _ trying  _ to be polite,” Shirabu scoffed at this, trying to hide his unease. “So what happened, like specifically?” Semi asked, taking a seat on the sofa and patting for Shirabu to sit by his side. Shirabu hesitantly did so. 

“What happened isn’t important. What  _ is  _ important is that the only people I trusted were manipulating me my whole life, I can’t trust anyone, and everything is fucked.” Hoping Semi would pick up on his message that his whole world had just collapsed and he wanted to be  _ left the fuck alone _ . Semi looked him up and down sympathetically before standing up. 

“We’ll talk more in the morning, do you want to sleep on the couch?” Shirabu nodded, his expression placid, when Semi left to grab some blankets and pillows. Semi came back, setting them on the sofa and squeezing Shirabu’s shoulder lightly. He had half the mind to smack his hand away. 

“Well.. I’ll see you in the morning Shirabu.” Semi began to retreat to his room before turning and looking at him one last time. “Goodnight, and if it means anything, I’m sorry.” Shirabu almost laughed, maybe he was just crazed. 

“Goodnight Semi,” He mumbled, turning over to lay down. 

Shirabu, of course, did not sleep. Though he wasn’t sure if it was due to the haunting of his parents' words or the unease he felt being in Semi’s apartment.  _ He wasn’t safe there _ . He considered running away but Shirabu honestly had nowhere else to go. He let the tears slip down his cheeks; for once, truly trapped. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this, it was very fun to write. Thank you so much for reading!!! <3


	5. A smoke alarm

Shirabu startled when Semi left his room a little too early for his liking.  _ Of course he was an early riser,  _ Overly conscious of the lack of sleep he had gotten. Sure, maybe Shirabu was being paranoid but who could blame him? Semi had no reason  _ not  _ to murder him in his sleep, and the best way to avoid that was well, not sleeping. 

Semi seemed surprised that he was awake, but once he had taken a closer look his shoulders sagged.

“Shirabu, did you not sleep?” He asked sceptically. Shirabu shrugged, avoiding his eyes.

“I don’t see why it matters.” He kept his voice monotone, empty, blank. Semi let out a withering sigh.

“I won’t hurt you, you know,”  _ liar _ . Before deciding it was useless at Shirabu’s expression. “I’ll make breakfast.” He nodded as Semi hesitantly trailed away. 

“Wait-” Shirabu reached out and grabbed Semi’s wrist, regretting it immediately when he saw the hope in his eyes.  _ Fake.  _ “Where’s your bathroom,” Shirabu’s heart  _ didn’t _ stutter at the disappointment on his face. Semi pointed Shirabu to the bathroom before retreating into the kitchen. 

The bathroom was small, but Shirabu made do as he stood in front of the mirror. His hair was disheveled and he made an attempt to flatten it out before deciding he didn’t actually care and leaving it be. He poked around at his skin, discolored and pale, dark circles forming under his eyes. Shirabu splashed water on his face, relishing in the way the cool water felt on his irritated skin. 

He considered walking back to the living room, or even to the kitchen where Semi was cooking, but instead Shirabu found himself sliding down the wall and onto the bathroom floor, tucking his head between his knees. He sat there for a minute, maybe two, counting the breaths that went in and out just trying to keep his mind in the present. No thinking of the night before, no thinking of tomorrow, only the shaky breaths leaving his mouth as the cold tile bit into his skin. 

Shirabu was interrupted by the high pitch wine of what seemed to be a smoke alarm.  _ A smoke alarm _ . Shirabu scrambled to his feet, fumbling with the lock on the door before bursting out of the bathroom. The room smelled like smoke.  _ Semi is trying to kill you, he’s trying to burn down the building with you still in it _ . Shirabu’s breathing quickened as he rushed to find the front door, he needed  _ out _ . 

When he reached the door his heart dropped when the knob refused to twist.  _ It was locked _ . Trying his best to turn the lock he found that it was stuck.  _ Something was blocking it.  _ He squeezed his eyes shut, convinced that if he did it would all go away, falling to his knees and letting out a dry sob. 

“Woah woah woah,” Semi’s voice caused him to blink his eyes open. “It’s just the smoke alarm, I may or may not have burnt breakfast,”  _ He was there, it was an accident.  _ Shirabu let out a startled laugh, pure adrenaline coursing through his veins. 

“But the door was locked I couldn’t get it opened and-” Semi’s face at first confused became that of realization. 

“It’s an old apartment, You have to lift up on the door when you unlock it.”  _ Oh.  _ Shirabu stood slowly, nodding stiffly. 

“Wait..What did you even burn?” Semi looked at him sheepishly.

“Scrambled eggs… I don’t cook often,” He mumbled. Shirabu laughed again, this time genuine before catching himself, cutting it off. But it had been too late, Semi had noticed.

“Did I make the ever-stoic Shirabu Kenjirou  _ laugh? _ ” He held a hand over his mouth in mock surprise, causing Shirabu to snort, unable to help it. 

“Don’t be an idiot Semi, I was laughing at your  _ disastrous  _ cooking not  _ you _ ,” Semi’s expression didn’t falter and he poked Shirabu in the ribs.

“It counts! I’m counting it!” 

“Whatever floats your boat.” 

Semi and Shirabu had ended up going out for breakfast, seeing as Semi was a mess in the kitchen and Shirabu didn’t trust any of his food either way. They had sat down at a coffee shop,  _ the same one they went to when they first met _ . Though Shirabu chose not to point it out. He kept a close eye on Semi, just to be safe. Afraid that if he wasn’t careful he would end up poisoned, not that Semi would have many opportunities to do so. 

When their food finally arrived Shirabu spent more time picking at it then eating, he didn’t have much of an appetite, especially not with the unease he seemed to be drowning in.  _ Had he made the wrong choice?  _ It had been plaguing him since he had arrived at Semi’s apartment.  _ What if Semi was lying _ ,  _ What if this wasn’t any safer _ . But he had to live with the decision he made, and pray it didn’t kill him. 

“Bacon for your thoughts?” Semi raised an eyebrow, holding up a piece of bacon. Shirabu thinks if he was raised differently he may have laughed, snatched the bacon from his hands and talked about the things on his mind, but he instead shook his head, eyes trained on the table to avoid seeing the disappointment most likely plaguing Semi’s handsome features. 

“We’ll have to buy you new clothes,” At this Shirabu’s head snapped up.

“What?” He blinked, and Semi laughed lightly.

“You can’t wear the same thing every day, we’ll have to go out to the shopping district and find some new things for you to wear.” 

“Oh,” Shirabu hadn’t thought about it, but he  _ had  _ left all his clothes with his parents at home.  _ Not home, not anymore.  _ He hadn’t had any attachments to them anyways, they were all bland, plain. Things his parents had encouraged him to buy for convenience purposes. He nodded, the resemblance of excitement forming.

“Sure, We can go later today.” Semi smiled so bright Shirabu resisted the urge to look away.

“I’m looking forward to it, Shirabu.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the chapter, thank you for reading! <3


	6. A clothing store

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you know me irl, please don't read this chapter. I beg of you. For both your sake and mine, just don't.

Shirabu spent the rest of breakfast poking at his food whilst Semi scarfed it down scarily fast from the seat across from him, obviously excited to buy Shirabu clothes,  _ for some reason _ . Though Shirabu doubted he would let Semi pick anything out for him.

When Semi had finished his unreasonable portion of breakfast the two of them departed to one of Semi’s favorite clothing stores. While Shirabu had low expectations, his suspicions were only solidified when he walked in.  _ Semi had an awful fashion sense, either that or he wanted to humiliate him. _ Semi, noticing Shirabu’s look of disgust rolled his eyes.

“It’s not  _ that  _ bad,” He said, “Who knows, you might find something you like,” Shirabu hummed, noncommittal, before giving the store a closer look.  _ Nope, still awful _ . He let out a withering sigh,  _ he would make it work _ . 

Semi followed Shirabu through the store as he scoured through the racks, not bothering to hide the distaste on his face. He had grabbed a few things, though they were relatively basic. T-shirts, etc. 

“You’re being so  _ boring, _ ” Semi complained, “You can get  _ anything  _ you want from here, please pick something more interesting,” Shirabu scoffed, deciding not to respond but marching deeper into the store. 

He seemed to have more luck there, as his eyes settled on something that piqued his interest. Though he quickly tore his eyes away in search of something different. Semi seemed to notice, quickly grabbing it off the rack.

“This is nice, why don’t you get it?” Shirabu opened his mouth to respond but was promptly cut off, “And saying you don’t like it isn’t an option because you obviously do.” Shirabu’s mouth snapped shut,  _ He wasn’t going to say that anyways,  _ (Except that he was) 

“It’s inconvenient, why would I wear something like that?” Semi’s brow furrowed at Shirabu’s words.

“Because you  _ like it _ ..? Clothes aren’t only about convenience you know,” He held the hanger in front of Shirabu’s face.

“But that goes completely against what my parents-” Shirabu cut himself off, but the sag of Semi’s shoulders showed that he understood. Semi said nothing but smiled lightly when Shirabu snatched the hanger out of his hand. “Fine, I’ll get it, but  _ only  _ because you won’t stop bugging me about it if I don’t” 

“You wound me Shirabu, You wound me,” 

When they finally left the clothing store, Semi insisted on carrying the bag, god knows why, as they walked back to his apartment.

“Let’s just hope it doesn’t still smell like smoke,” Shirabu complained. Semi ignored his comment, digging through his pocket till he found his keys.

The apartment did in fact, still smell like smoke. But the smell was faint enough for Shirabu to ignore it. As soon as they had entered the door, Shirabu had snatched the bag of clothes and retreated into the bathroom to try them on. 

“I want to see what you picked out,” Semi called after him “So come out and show me when you try stuff on,” Shirabu groaned, annoyed. He considered just saying no, but he owed Semi for buying him everything in the first place.

“Fine,” Shirabu decided to get the worst over first, skipping straight to what Semi had encouraged him to buy. And though he liked it, that had been why he was eyeing it in the shop, he was still embarrassed when he looked in the mirror. The skirt fell above his knees, it was black and flowy in the way that made you want to twist and turn purely to watch it move. It was almost... _ exciting _ . He had never been able to pick out his own clothing when he lived with his parents. They had always chosen simple things for him to wear that were convenient and easy to move in. But looking in the mirror, Shirabu felt exhilarated, and he began to understand what he was missing out on. 

Shirabu stepped out of the bathroom, averting his gaze when Semi turned to look in his direction. Only when he was met with silence did he look up, only to be met with Semi’s stare. 

“Do you not like it?” His heart dropped.  _ He didn’t care regardless, Why would he?  _ Semi seemed to snap out of whatever haze he was in his face turning red. 

“No no! That’s not it. I think you look amazing Shirabu,” Now it was Shirabu’s turn to flush, not expecting the words. He looked as Semi’s eyes flickered down to his mouth, a sense of deja vu rushing over him. 

But Semi’s eyes didn’t stop there as they trailed down peering at supple thighs, the skirt laying lightly, before he forced his gaze away. But Shirabu had noticed, and in a moment of confidence he approached where Semi sat on the sofa, placing a leg on either side to straddle his lap. 

“Shirabu? What are you-” Semi looked startled, but was interrupted when Shirabu rushed forward to press their lips together. Once Semi realized what was happening he kissed back with fervor, carding a hand through Shirabu’s hair. Shirabu gasped when he felt a hand on his thigh.

All of the sudden, Shirabu found himself being pushed down, opening his eyes to see Semi hovering over him, arms caging him in. 

“ _ God,  _ you are stunning,” He mumbled under his breath.

“Shut up Semi,” Shirabu retorted, finding that he didn’t mean the words. Semi leaned in again, pressing his lips to Shirabu’s, though this was different from their first kiss, which had been rough, rushed. But this time Semi went slow, relishing in the noises Shirabu failed to repress. The kiss felt almost  _ affectionate,  _ But Shirabu shook off the thought instead focusing on the feeling of Semi’s hands on him, the mouth on his. When they finally pulled apart, Semi rested his forehead against Shirabu’s, laughing lightly.

“You’re stunning,” He repeated. And for the first time, Shirabu felt as if Semi was telling the truth. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't going to write this because I have friends that read this (ily), but then I decided whatever it's fine. If you know me and you read this despite my warning. I'm sorry... Thank you for reading I hope you enjoyed! <3


	7. A night in the rain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops, I dropped some angst.

Semi placed his forehead against Shirabu’s, murmuring affections under his breath, and Shirabu almost couldn’t handle it.  _ This wasn’t supposed to be happening _ ,  _ This wasn’t how things were supposed to go _ . But he felt so light, so airy. How could something so bad, feel like  _ this _ . Shirabu almost gasped when Semi interlaced their fingers, and Shirabu avoided his eyes, not sure that he would be able to stay calm if he did so. 

“Shirabu,” Semi whispered, “Your heart is racing,” He placed his hand to his heart, and Shirabu already knew how fast it was beating. His eyes snapped up to Semi’s and the pure look in his eyes set off alarms in his head. He quickly stood, starling Semi out of his trance, taking a few steps back. _ He had made a mistake, he couldn’t do this. Semi couldn’t be trusted. It was all a ruse.  _

“I- I can’t” He choked out, “No no no no,” He shook his head violently

“Shirabu-” Semi started to call out.

“This can’t- I can’t” His breathing grew rapid and he wrapped his arms around himself.

“Okay, That’s okay.” Semi reassured, “What’s wrong? Did I go too far?” Shirabu’s eyes widened more as he continued moving backwards.

“You don’t care, stop it, stop stop stop,” Shirabu turned on his heels and rushed out the front door in a mess of shaky breaths and panicked movements. 

()()()

Semi wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to go after Shirabu. He knew he had gone too far, lost control, scared him off. And he knew Shirabu probably needed space. But Semi wasn’t able to help himself when rain started to pour. From what he knew, Shirabu had no other place to stay, and the idea of him out in the harsh weather was something Semi was going to try his best to avoid. Especially if he wanted to gain his trust. 

Semi had found himself growing incredibly attached to Shirabu. The little faces he made when something frustrated him, the way he always had a retort to Semi’s teasing, and though Shirabu was slow to let him close, those moments were always the best. The process had been frustrating at times. Shirabu was so  _ hesitant  _ to get anywhere near him. Semi understood, but at the same time he was annoyed at the backtracking. 

()()()

Shirabu wasn’t sure when he stopped running, but what he  _ did  _ know was that he recognized the area with dread. In his daze he had run to the most familiar place he knew. His neighborhood. 

“Shit” He mumbled to himself, feeling a sprinkle of rain.  _ Of course, Of course, Of course.  _ It didn’t take long before what once was a light sprinkle became a full on downpour, and Shirabu found himself seeking shelter in a covered alleyway. That didn’t stop him from being soaking wet, cold and miserable. Squeezing his eyes shut, he pressed his fingers to his temples as if to will the world away. A part of him wanted to sit in the rain till the chill filled his entire body and he was sure to get sick, till he could decay in one of the alleys to never be found. 

Shuddering at his own thoughts Shirabu pulled his coat closer around himself, tucking his head between his knees as he sat on the ground, though he was startled out of his thoughts when someone cleared their throat from next to him. Shirabu’s eyes snapped open in recognition, sure that he was dreaming when he came face to face with his mother. 

She stared at him with pity, an umbrella held above her head. He felt sick, and a part of him felt the urge to retch onto the pavement at her feet. 

“Kenjirou,” She cooed, batting her eyelashes in a way that screamed  _ unnatural _ . “I’m so happy to see you, I’ve been worried sick since you had that freak out,” Something in Shirabu softened. 

“You mean...You weren’t- but you- You said,” He wanted to go home, he wanted to have dinner with his mother and father, he wanted to lay in his bed. He wanted  _ home _ . 

“Kenjirou I don’t know what you think you heard, you weren’t in your right mind. Come home okay?” He felt a stray tear slip down his cheek. 

“I… I want to go home,” He said quietly, and she nodded in understanding.

“I know, it’s been hard hasn’t it?” She held out a hand to him and he desperately wanted to grab it, let her lead him home, home, home... _ Home? _

“Shirabu!” A voice called out, and his head snapped up as he locked eyes with Semi. “Shirabu please, Don’t do it,” The tears rolled down Shirabu’s cheeks faster, and he looked between Semi and his mother.

“Why? Why don’t you want me to be happy?” He sobbed out, retracting his hand and bringing it to his face to wipe the stray tears.

“ _ It’s not real and you know it _ ” The words hurt more then they should’ve, piercing a place in his heart that had yet to scab over. He met his mothers eyes again, though they were no longer loving, she had a snarl on his face as she withdrew her hand. 

“Kenjirou I’m disappointed in you,” She spat, before looking him over, her eyes landing on the skirt as she laughed to herself. “Wow, You’ve really stooped low,” She stalked away and Shirabu watched through teary eyes as Semi approached him. 

“Shirabu, Let’s go home-” 

“No!” He cried, “I can’t do it, I can’t do this! Everything is gone don’t you get it? I have  _ nothing _ ,” He shook, not sure if it was from the cold, his nerves, or some wicked mix of the two. 

“I know, I know, and I’m sorry,” Semi murmured as he wrapped his coat around Shirabu’s shaking shoulders and drew him up. “We have to get out of the rain, okay?” Shirabu nodded shakily as Semi led them back to the apartment. 

“Everything is  _ gone _ ,” Shirabu whispered under his breath. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ngl I cried writing this chapter. Not sure why but like- I hope you enjoyed, thank you for reading! <3


	8. A promise made

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More writing!! yay!!! less angsty this time I promise

Time faded in and out, as unreliable as a cheap printer. Shirabu no longer avoided sleep, too exhausted to care if Semi tried to hurt him while he was unconscious. 

After getting drenched in the rain, the sickness that came along had been almost unavoidable. The worst part was that Shirabu couldn’t physically take care of himself, forcing him to rely on Semi more than he would’ve liked. Not that Semi had done a  _ bad  _ job of taking care of him, he was naturally caring, but Shirabu had a hard time letting his guard down after that night, unsure of Semi’s  _ true  _ intentions despite what he claimed. 

Things had been tough after  _ that  _ night, not that they hadn’t been already. Something just felt so  _ wrong  _ about everything happening. He was just so so tired. Keeping up walls was tiring, but letting people in seemed like it would be more so. 

There was a part of Shirabu that wanted to give his heart to Semi, live a whirlwind romance, fall in love. But that part of him was  _ naive.  _ And being naive was what had gotten him where he was now, left with nothing, his world torn to pieces. 

The weight of his sickness didn’t help. Though he only had a common cold, he still felt the chill of the rain down to his core. Part of him wished he had stayed out in the rain, sat in the cold till even his brain went numb, and his eyes fluttered closed, till home was just a word, and Semi was just a name. 

He found no peace, tossing and turning, too hot, then seconds later too cold. The cheap sofa providing nothing but discomfort. Semi had offered him his bed, offered to sleep on the couch while he got better, but Shirabu had refused, not wanting to think about curling up in the duvet, the lingering smell of  _ Semi  _ filling his senses. That would be ridiculous. As if on cue-- 

“Shirabu you need to take more medicine,” Semi entered the room, snorting when Shirabu groaned. 

“Fuck off,” He waved a hand, content to burrowing further into his overabundance of blankets. Semi took a seat at the end of the sofa, handing the purple syrup to Shirabu despite his protests, watching as he drank it. He handed the cup back to Semi surprised when he didn’t leave. Shirabu squirmed uncomfortable under his gaze, avoiding his eyes out of hope that he could avoid whatever Semi seemed to want to say.

“Shirabu-” Semi reached out a hand, drawing it back when Shirabu flinched away, “What can I do to get you to trust me?”  _ This  _ Shirabu hadn’t expected, his head snapped to look at Semi, gauging how serious he  _ truly  _ was.

“..What..?” He asked, confusion seeping into his voice.

“You know what I mean, I just want to know how I can prove to you that I  _ care about you”  _ The last words from Semi’s mouth repeated in Shirabu’s mind, I care about you _. As if.  _

“Here how about this,” Semi held out his pinky finger, which Shirabu stared at incredulously. 

“What are you, Six? A pinky promise?” Semi gave him a pointed look to which Shirabu sighed, linking his pinky with Semi’s reluctantly. 

“Shirabu Kenjirou, I promise that I will  _ never  _ let anything hurt you, and as long as you’re under my care, I will do anything I can to make you happy,” Shirabu’s brows furrowed at the words, before whispering,

“You mean it…?” Semi smiled a million-watt grin.

“I really do, If I break the promise, you can leave, run as far from me as you want.” Shirabu found himself nodding hesitantly as Semi gave their pinkies a small shake. “There,” He sighed, a small smile finding its way onto his face at the ridiculousness of it all. Maybe,  _ Just maybe,  _ it was okay for him to hope. Or maybe it was just the sickness. 

“Hey Shirabu?” Semi asked, his voice soft, as if talking to a scared animal,  _ Which maybe he could be compared to. _ Shirabu sighed.

“Yes?” 

“I’m sorry,” Shirabu blinked, not sure what he was missing. His gut churned,  _ Did he do something? Was that his way of getting him to let his guard down? _

“For what?” He asked hesitantly, trying to hide the shake from his voice, though if Semi noticed he would blame it on the sickness.

“Lots of things,” He sighed, “But for the most part, not making you feel safe.” He took Shirabu’s stunned silence as a passage to continue. “Like that time with the fire alarm. It was obvious you hadn’t slept, and I started a  _ fire _ , though accidental. If I were in your shoes that would’ve scared the everloving shit out of me,” He looked to Shirabu with doughy eyes. “I want to make this better and, Shirabu, we were fated for a reason. I will never hurt you.” There was a sincerity in his voice, one that seemed hard to fake, one that Shirabu had never heard before. 

He reached a hand from where he was swaddled in blankets to grab Semi’s giving it a light squeeze, unsure of what he was doing. 

“I want to trust you, I can try,” He whispered. “I just don’t want to hurt anymore.” Semi nodded, drawing his hand to Shirabu’s forehead and smoothing back his hair.

“I understand,” He said, smiling softly. “We’ll talk tomorrow, for now get some sleep,” Shirabu nodded, the exhaustion of his cold wearing on him. 

“I’ll be in the other room.” Shirabu nodded watching as Semi made to leave before turning around.

“I’ll always be here if you need me, just let me know,” And Shirabu had a feeling the words didn’t only apply to now, and he desperately wanted to be right. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! <3


	9. A wake-up call

Shirabu had been slowly but surely recovering from his cold, and while he was now moderately functional, he still felt like flaming hot garbage a good ninety percent of the time. What sucked about this was that he had never been much of a heavy sleeper. 

At the brink of dawn he had slowly come to consciousness to the din of voices around him. With a spike of fear, Shirabu stayed still, doing his best to listen in on the words being spoken around him. 

“How did you even get in?” Semi’s voice whispered harshly. “I never gave any of you a key,” He heard an unfamiliar voice make a tutting sound.

“How rude of you Semi-Semi, that’s not a way to treat guests,” They said, not bothering to whisper. 

“I’m sorry Semi-san! We were told to get you for an assignment!” Another voice said, sounding as if they were  _ trying  _ to whisper. 

“Shhh, Shirabu is sleep-”

“No he’s not.” The first voice interrupted. Shirabu’s blood went cold.

“What?” Semi asked,

“He’s been awake for a while, you can tell from his breathing,” Shirabu reflexively squeezed his hand into a fist, digging his nails into his palms. Footsteps approached where he laid on the sofa and he tensed up, eyes squeezing tighter. 

“Great going Tendou, you’ve been here for less than 10 minutes and you’ve  _ already  _ managed to cause trouble,” Semi scoffed, squatting down to brush Shirabu’s hair from his face. “It’s fine Shirabu, they’re only coworkers,” 

Shirabu eased open his eyes, a headache already beginning to bloom. He immediately looked to the two figures, one with crazy bright red hair, and an expression on his face that filled him with unease, the second seeming much more surprised, with a purple bowl cut and unreasonably lanky limbs. 

“Guess monster guesses right again,” The redhead sing-songed. Semi gave him a blank look before turning back to Shirabu.

“I’ve got to go to work, I’ll be back tonight,” At Shirabu’s concerned look he brought a hand to his cheek, swiping his thumb across it absentmindedly. “I’m sorry, I’ll come back as soon as I can,” 

“Okay you idiot,” Shirabu mumbled, turning over to go back to sleep. 

()()()

Semi turned to Tendou and Goshiki only to see matching looks of surprise on their faces.

“What?” He asked, annoyance seeping into his tone. 

“It's just that I’ve never seen you act like that towards anyone Semi-san!” Goshiki squeaked. Semi sighed, goading the two out the door before following suit.

“Well he  _ is  _ my soulmate,” 

“Wow Semi-Semi I never expected you to be such a romantic,” Semi whacked Tendou on the back of the head, 

“Don’t think you’re off the hook for breaking into my fucking house,” Tendou chuckled darkly,

“Oh I wouldn’t dream of it.” 

()()()

_ I’ve never seen you act like that towards anyone _ . Shirabu replayed these words, reveling in the butterflies they created in his stomach. He felt stupid for feeling special, but if that had been the most concrete reassurance of Semi’s honesty he had gotten. 

The only thing bothering him was where exactly  _ did _ Semi work. Most workplaces didn’t have employees capable of breaking and entering. 

Shirabu desperately wanted to trust Semi, he had nothing else, and he wasn’t sure that he could cope if that was a lie too. So Shirabu watched the ribbon on his finger dance in the morning light, thinking only of the promise made between them.

Shirabu wasted away until dark, tapping his foot impatiently when it got too late for his liking, worrying his lip between his teeth. When the door creaked open he almost melted with relief, more tension leaving his body than he was aware of having. 

Semi wasted no time collapsing on the couch once coming through the door, thouthougly exhausted. 

“Hey, are you okay?” Shirabu asked with furrowed brows. He gave Semi a hard look, eyes landing on a nasty looking cut, “ _ What the hell”  _ His eyes widened.

“I’m fine Shirabu,” Semi waved him off when he realized he had seen the wound. 

“No you’re not, where is your first aid kit?” Semi sighed, too tired to fight back.

“It’s in the bathroom, top cabinet.” Shirabu wasted no time grabbing the first aid kit, plopping onto the couch next to Semi. He poured hydrogen peroxide onto a cotton ball, dabbing the wound as delicately as possible. Though apparently not delicate enough he mused at the hiss Semi let out through his teeth.

“Don’t be a baby,” He snorted, to which Semi gave him a pointed look. “It’s only hydrogen peroxide,” Though Shirabu tried his best to be more gentle. 

“What happened,” he found himself whispering, as he bandaged the cut. 

“Just a small scuffle, that’s all.” Shirabu finished dressing the wound, raising an eyebrow at Semi.

“Where the fuck do you work?” He asked exasperatedly. Semi’s expression turned nervous and he mumbled something Shirabu couldn’t quite catch under his breath. “What?” Shirabu asked, to which Semi repeated his words.

“I work with the Shiratorizawa gang,” Shirabu blinked in surprise. The worst part was that it  _ made sense.  _ When he overpowered him in the alleyway, his odd coworkers, his dingy apartment. 

“-bu, earth to Shirabu” He came back to Semi waving an arm in front of his face.  _ If Semi wanted him dead, he would have done it long ago _ . The realization came as both a wave of panic and relief in the exact same moment. Semi, seemingly unaware of Shirabu’s revelation furrowed his brows in concern.

“Just because I work with Shiratorizawa doesn’t mean I want to hurt you, you know that right?” Shirabu blinked at him, before slowly leaning to rest his head on his shoulder. 

“I do,” Semi brought a hand around to stroke his hair, humming contentedly. 

“I promised,” He whispered.

“You did,” and Shirabu drifted off to sleep, fear retreating to the back of his mind, leaving in its place something softer, something nicer, something  _ new.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is late, I hope you enjoyed it! Thanks for reading!!! <3


	10. A rash decision

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long!! I'll try to be early with the next chapter!

Shirabu woke up, the sun shining through the blinds, an exhaustion he hadn’t known was there melting off him in waves. He pulled his blanket tight around him as he sat up, ignoring the protests from his sore back. (sleeping on a couch was  _ not  _ very comfortable to say the least) calling out when he didn’t see Semi in his immediate line of sight.

“Seemmmiii” He groaned, knowing well that Semi woke up unreasonably early. The door opened briskly and Semi smiled, leaning on the frame. 

“Mornin’ princess,” he chuckled, and Shirabu gave him a pointed look which Semi ruefully ignored, taking a seat next to him. “About yesterday, you don’t have any problems with me being in a gang… do you?” Shirabu almost laughed at the ridiculousness of the question, of course he did. Mostly the danger of it all, which Shirabu couldn’t begin to imagine as having never had the experience. But though he would hate to admit to the vulnerability, he only had one anchor in his life, the anchor of Semi Eita. 

“I want to join,” He said, voice full of conviction. Though he knew he was being rash, and being rash was against everything he had been taught, but  _ fuck that _ . The expression on Semi’s face, mouth agape, eyes wide, almost made it worth it. 

“You wha- Huh?” Shirabu raised his eyebrows as Semi’s mouth worked around words that refused to form.

“It’s okay, take your time Semi-san,” He said sweetly, batting his eyelashes mockingly. “I know thinking is hard for you sometimes,” That seemed to snap Semi out of it, and he reached to flick Shirabu on the forehead, to which the other screeched indignantly. Moving to return the favor, Semi’s quick reflexes allowed him to grab his wrist holding it in place lightly. Shirabu’s eyes snapped up to meet Semi’s, and he took a shuddering breath at the indescribable look on the other's face. 

Gently, Semi let go of his wrist, clearing his throat awkwardly before seemingly remembering the topic at hand. 

“Were you being serious about joining Shiratorizawa?” Semi asked, tilting his head in a way that Shirabu could only describe as stupidly adorable. 

“Obviously,” He scoffed, though he couldn’t hide the teasing grin on his face. 

“Okay,” Semi nodded, “Let’s do it, We can visit today if you’d like,” Now it was Shirabu’s turn to be surprised, as he blinked in confusion.

“It’s that easy? No arguments?” He asked suspiciously. Semi shrugged,

“I know you’re impossibly stubborn, I doubt I could stop you if I tried,” Shirabu snorted at this, smiling to himself.  _ Semi was completely right.  _

()()()

And  _ that  _ is how Shirabu found himself standing in the Shiratorizawa home base, surrounded by a select few of its members. He clenched and unclenched his fists unconsciously, only noticing when Semi pried his stiff fingers apart to thread his between them.  _ I’m here _ . The message was unspoken, but not unreceived. 

“This is Tendou and Goshiki, you met them yesterday,” Semi said, voice minimally sharp as he gestured to the two Shirabu had seen after their break in. 

“There’s also Ushijima, Hayato, Reon and Kawanishi,” Semi gestured to each as he said their names. Shirabu nodded, bowing lightly before introducing himself. 

“Shirabu Kenjirou, pleasure to make your acquaintance,” Semi chuckled,

“Ignore his disinterest, not much of a people person,” Shirabu squeezed his hand painfully hard at the words. Semi turned to Shirabu “You’ll have time to get to know them more later, for now we have something else to take care of,” Shirabu looked to Semi skeptically.

“What? That’s it? Don’t gangs have initiations?” Semi let out a breathy laugh at this.

“Well Shiratorizawa is lighter on the initiation stuff, but they _do_ give you an assignment to prove yourself, though it’s never too hard.” He seemed to think for a moment before rolling up his shirt sleeve, “And they make you give yourself _this_ ,” He gestured to a whitened scar across his arm. Shirabu grimaced, “It’s not that bad I promise,” Semi reassured. 

They finally stopped in front of a sturdy door, Semi giving him a light squeeze on the shoulder.

“We need to talk to the boss to get your assignment,” Semi explained, giving the door a hearty knock. After hearing some rustling the door swung open, welcoming the two into a tidy looking office, a man sitting behind the desk, wrinkled with age, and what seemed like a perpetual look of disdain on his old features. “Sir, this is Shirabu Kenjirou, my soulmate. I feel that he would fit in nicely with Shiratorizawa,” 

The man looked to Shirabu, giving him a once over before sighing and reaching into one of the desk drawers. 

“Sure, sure. I take it you’re looking for an assignment?” Semi nodded, and the man fished a folder out of the drawer, handing in to Semi before looking between him and Shirabu wearily. “So this is your soulmate, eh?” His gaze stuck to Shirabu “Shirabu, I take it you won't let us down.” Shirabu gulped down his nervousness, nodding firmly before turning to follow Semi out the door. 

“So what’s the assignment?” He asked, peeking over Semi’s shoulder as he flipped through the file.

“From the looks of it we have a gala to attend,” 

“ _ We? _ ” Shirabu asked skeptically,

“What? You think I’m gonna let you go all by yourself? We have two ‘invites’ regardless, Don’t you think it would make more sense for two soulmates to go than someone by themselves?” 

Shirabu sighed, nodding in agreement, Though he was truly relieved he wouldn’t have to go alone. 

“Well what do we have to do at this gala?” He asked, raising an eyebrow. Semi grinned at him, tilting the case file into Shirabu’s line of sight, pointing at a conspicuous looking briefcase printed on the paper. The photo was blurry, and the figure holding the briefcase was hard to identify and obviously in movement. 

“We steal the briefcase,” He said simply. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed!!! The next chapter is going to be very eventful, so look forward to it! Thank you for reading! <3


	11. Unanswered questions

In all honesty Shirabu wasn’t surprised. Shiratorizawa  _ was  _ a gang. Theft shouldn’t be out of their ballpark. Though this didn’t mean he was without questions. 

“Who is that in the photo?” Shirabu asked, squinting at the blurry image. Semi sighed, eyes rescanning over the document again.

“Someone from a rival gang, seems like we don’t know more than that,”  _ Odd _ , Shirabu found that  _ odd _ . 

“Okay, what’s in it?” Semi looked at him sheepishly. “Don’t tell me we don’t know that either,” 

“We don’t.” Semi closed the file, “Though my guess is drugs or something of the like,” 

“Fine, here’s an easy question. When is the gala?” Semi perked up,

“This evening,” He said excitedly, happy he could finally answer one of Shirabu’s questions. 

“That soon?” Shirabu found himself asking. The corners of Semi’s mouth tipped up in a reassuring smile.

“Better to get it over with,” He said. Shirabu hummed in agreement, following him down the hall till they reached where they had entered the building. “We’re heading out” Semi called out as they left, getting preoccupied nods from the others in the room, all seemingly busy. 

The second they stepped out of the compound a chill bit at Shirabu’s exposed skin. 

“You cold?” Semi snickered, and Shirabu pinched his arm in retaliation. 

“Shut it.” Though when he turned to glare he was met with the sight of Semi peeling off his coat. “What are you-” Shirabu was promptly cut off when Semi draped his coat around his shoulders, his breath catching in his throat. 

“I don’t need it.” Semi explained, “I don’t really get cold, and I wouldn’t want you to get sick again” 

Too embarrassed to retort, Shirabu pulled the jacket tight around his shoulders and huffed in exasperation. 

He almost melted in relief when they walked into the warmth of Semi’s apartment, flopping onto the couch with a contented sigh. Semi chuckled, taking a seat next to him looking amused. 

“Hey it was cold out there,” Shirabu defended, Giving as harsh a look as he could despite peering out the top of Semi’s coat. 

“Are you still cold?” Semi asked, a foreign look in his eyes. Hesitantly Shirabu nodded, somehow sensing ulterior motives. He got a glint in his eyes, opening his arms invitingly. “C’mere,” Shirabu froze minisculely and Semi began to retract his arms, though he didn’t get the chance when Shirabu almost threw himself at Semi in a fit of panic.

The ash blond laughed lightly pulling Shirabu close into him, a hand absentmindedly stroking his hair. Shirabu felt himself drifting off, which was further reinforced when Semi began to hum. He didn’t recognize the song, he didn’t recognize many as music had never been a major part of his childhood, but this song brought him comfort. Or maybe it was the thrumming of Semi’s chest, or the soothing tones of his voice. But before he knew it, Shirabu was lulled into a calm sleep.

()()()

“-ake up, Shirabu” Shirabu groaned, his shoulder being shaken by who he assumed to be Semi, though he made no move to get up. “Shirabu?” He went silent, not responding in favor of going back to sleep. “Darling?” Shirabu’s head snapped up, unable to will the redness from his face. 

“What? You can’t call me that” He sputtered, embarrassment obvious in his expression. He didn’t  _ hate  _ being called that, not that Semi would ever know. Semi purely laughed, watching as Shirabu rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

“While I would’ve loved to let you nap longer, we have to start getting ready for the gala,” 

Shirabu felt dread gather at the pit of his stomach, unsure of what the night would contain. Worrying his bottom lip between his teeth he looked to Semi, gauging the amount of worry present in him, sensing little to none, only finding sympathy. 

“It’s fine to be nervous, I was nervous as hell my first assignment.” Semi murmured, “And remember, I won’t let anything hurt you” The sincerity in his words filled Shirabu with a warmth he couldn’t place. But he smiled regardless.

“Who said I was nervous? Are you sure  _ I'm  _ the nervous one? Or is it you?” He teased, though he hoped his true message came across.  _ I know, thank you.  _ Semi smiled softly, ruffling his hair. 

“Oh? Maybe so.” Shirabu gave a squawk of protest, brushing through his now disheveled hair with his fingers.

Semi beckoned Shirabu over to him, digging out a suit from his closet that had grown too small to fit him and handing it over, before digging out another one for himself. 

When Shirabu had changed he relished in the way Semi’s gaze tracked him across the room, though he too had been unable to look away when Semi stepped out of his bedroom wearing something equally nice. He snapped out of his daze when Semi cleared his throat awkwardly, motioning to the front door. Shirabu followed him out, relieved when the stuffy suit jacket kept out most of the cold. 

They stopped by the compound first, trying to squeeze out any details they could before eventually giving up and heading to the gala. 

The first thing Shirabu realized when they reached the building was that this event was much  _ fancier  _ than he had been expecting. Two intimidating looking men stood in front of the building, and Semi approached them with ease, flashing two invites. He opened the door, holding it open for Shirabu and taking his hand lightly when he followed inside. He couldn’t help but look wide-eyed in amazement at the room they entered. 

Extravagant was an understatement, the room was simply dazzling in a way he couldn’t begin to describe. People mingled and danced, wine and dined, somehow doing it all with an elegance he knew he wasn’t capable of. Semi squeezed his hand reassuringly, leaning down to whisper in his ear.

“Follow my lead, we’ll be fine.” Shirabu swallowed hard, trying not to look too tense before following in step with Semi as he moved towards the thrum of people. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter!!! <3 thank you for reading!!!!!!!!!


	12. A Gala

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oop-

Shirabu held his breath as Semi led him through the room. He barely processed Semi murmuring next to him before his voice was loud and clear in his ear. 

“Alright Taichi, you got eyes on the target?” The two had picked up earpieces when they had stopped by the compound, so that they would have a direct line of communication with someone in case something went wrong, and with each other if they got separated. 

“Not yet,” Kawanishi sighed, “I’m looking through the balcony camera though, which means I may have some blind spots. I’ll keep looking” Shirabu looked to Semi,

“Well what should we do?” He shrugged,

“Getting our bearings of the place would be a good idea.” He nodded dutifully as Semi led them deeper into the crowd. The room filled with the din of voices chattering mindlessly and the occasional clink of champagne glasses. Shirabu tried to act as if he fit in, tried to look like his heart wasn’t about to leap from his throat, as the ash-blond scanned the room inconspicuously.

“Still no eyes on the target,” Kawanishi mumbled, “Semi I’m gonna need you to check under the balcony for anyone recognizable,” 

“Gotcha, What about Shirabu?” Shirabu watched Semi’s mouth form around the words a little more intently then he would ever admit. 

“He should keep an eye out there, see if he sees anyone suspicious” 

He snapped out of his thoughts when Semi looked to him expectantly.

“Shirabu? Earth to Shirabu? Are you alright with that?” Clearing his throat he nodded.

“Yeah. Sure, keep watch.” Shirabu could’ve sworn he heard Kawanishi let out a snort of laughter on the other line. 

He stood awkwardly as Semi left, trying his best to look natural but from his guess, not doing so fantastic of a job. Everyone looked  _ snooty  _ and Shirabu felt a spout of frustration at every fake smile and sip of champagne. The people reminded him of his parents. They understood nothing of the world outside of their control, the wreckage they had caused purely by the directing of income. 

He bit the inside of his cheek so hard it drew blood, a slight metallic taste tainting his tongue. 

“You look upset,” A voice from next to him caused him to jump. Shirabu turned to the stranger he seemingly hadn't noticed sneaking up on him. He met the eyes of someone near his age, a teasing look in his eyes, a round face and hair he couldn’t quite name the color of. 

“This just isn’t my crowd” Shirabu said, eyeing the stranger warily. 

“Oh?” He raised an eyebrow, “Then what brings you here?”

“I’m here with my soulmate,” He shrugged, not  _ technically  _ lying. 

“And he left you here all by yourself? How rude”

“He’s getting us drinks,” Shirabu said briskly, feeling oddly defensive. 

“I see. I’m Yahaba, Yahaba Shigeru.” The stranger,  _ Yahaba _ it seemed, held out his hand expectantly. Shirabu shook it.

“Shirabu Kenjirou. If I may ask, why are you talking to me?” Yahaba laughed, apparently not offended by Shirabu’s rashness.

“Blunt are we? Well, call it curiosity.” Shirabu nodded, trying to keep his expression blank as his earpiece suddenly sparked to life. 

“You two need to get out of there,” Kawanishi said, voice harsh. 

“Taichi? What’s wrong?” Semi’s concern came off in waves, and Shirabu could sense it purely from his voice. 

“I found the target. Bad news is, he’s from Seijoh. We aren’t ready to take this on, it’s not worth it.” Though Shirabu didn’t understand the full weight of the situation, he  _ did  _ hear the frantic tones in Kawanishi’s voice. 

“We’re lucky they didn’t send one of their best. They sent Yahaba Shigeru, a lower level member.” His blood went cold, eyes unconsciously flickering to the person standing next to him. “Shirabu I need you to find Semi instantly. Yahaba shouldn’t know you’re affiliated with us, but chances are he’ll recognize Semi if he gets anywhere near you. I need you to  _ stop  _ engaging with the target”

“Shirabu is talking with the target?” Semi’s voice came through, panicked. Shirabu couldn’t make out much else as he subtly brought a hand to his ear, slipping the earpiece out of his ear and into his suit pocket. Yahaba eyed him curiously but said nothing.

“Why don’t we sit down? Did you come here with company?” Sirabu swallowed his beating heart.  _ If he couldn’t do this simple task. What was the point? _

“I’ll show you to my table then, I have a few... _ friends  _ i’m here with.” Shirabu nodded, following Yahaba to his table, where a few more unknown faces sat, and in the center of it all... The briefcase. Clearing his throat, Shirabu took a seat at the table, gaining nothing more than a few curious glances. “Call these people, business partners if you will. I’m like you Shirabu, I’d honestly rather not be here either to be completely honest” The words, though spoken in understanding left a certain they left a sour taste in the air.

“What’s in the briefcase?” Shirabu asked, trying to feign curiosity. 

“Unimportant, some papers, nothing for you to get excited about” He waved a hand dismissively. “And even if it was something interesting, it’s out of my hands now, belongs to them” he gestured to others at the table, deep in conversation. “Anyways, are you hungry? I haven’t eaten all night and I’m  _ famished _ ,” Shirabu nodded, Yahaba chuckling, “So stoic, I’ll go get us some cheese and crackers or something” he then stood, walking from the table and leaving Shirabu alone with the briefcase. 

Well not quite alone, there were still others at the table, but they seemed thoroughly distracted with their alcohol and teasing conversation. He stood briskly, scanning the room before quickly snatching the briefcase and heading deep into the crowd. Though when he stood, Shirabu felt as if someone's eyes flickered to him, though looking back at the table, he saw no one paying him any mind. 

It didn’t take long to find Semi. Once Shirabu had found himself safely hidden by the crowd he popped the earpiece back into his ear whispering,

“I have it.” 

“Shirabu? Wai- You have the briefcase?” Semi’s disbelieving voice came through, loud and clear. 

“Yes, that’s what I said. Now where are you?” Trying to sound more bored than scared. 

“I’m outside the back exit,” Shirabu nodded, before realizing Semi probably couldn’t see him and giving him a quick confirmation. 

“Seems the newbie is catching on quick,” Kawanishi mused, to which he couldn’t help but roll his eyes. 

The air outside was brisk and cold, but the adrenaline rushing through his veins made it hard to tell. Semi stood, eyes widening when Shirabu walked outside. He didn’t get the chance to say a word before Semi’s arms were wrapped around him. 

“Do you have any idea how  _ stupid  _ that was? You had me worried sick!” Semi began, but didn’t get far before Shirabu interrupted. 

“You can lecture me later, but right now can we leave? Please?” He hated the shake in his voice but couldn’t help it. He received a worried look, and then a sigh, Semi letting him go in favor of taking his hand.

“Alright, let’s go.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Askdhsdfjhsg I hope you liked this chapter. ty for reading <3


	13. A bomb

“Let’s go,” Semi murmured, leading Shirabu away from the back exit and into a nearby alleyway. Shirabu kept his head down, almost as if too exhausted to hold it up, but when Semi sucked in a sharp breath Shirabu quickly looked up, startled, met by the sight of someone standing on the other end. Squinting at the approaching silhouette, he made out the face in front of them only when he was a few paces away. 

Yahaba Shigeru. 

“My my Shirabu, I didn’t take you for being with  _ them _ ,” Yahaba eyed Semi warily. “I mean I could  _ see  _ the hatred in your eyes when you looked at those aristocratic pieces of shit, Did you know those are the same type of people you work under?” He batted his eyes innocently. “The same people who hold all the power,  _ they’re  _ the reason our world is like this don’t you understand? They’re killing, stealing, starving people out of their minds, only because they want to be on top,” Shirabu swallowed, his mouth having gone dry. “You see, I  _ planned  _ on maybe trying to get you affiliated with Seijoh, but it seems you’re incredibly naive.” He sighed wistfully, “And I thought you’d be able to get out of this unscathed.” 

“Do you want to know what’s  _ really  _ in that briefcase?” Yahaba lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. 

“What is it?” Semi narrowed his eyes. He said nothing, only moving to make a big motion with his arms.  _ A bomb…?  _

Shirabu’s blood went cold, and he almost dropped the briefcase in panic, but his fists were clenched so tight he wasn’t sure he would be able to. 

“It’s set to go off in about 15 minutes… at least I think?” Yahaba turned on his heels, “Well catch ya later Shirabu, if you don’t die that is” And with that, He was gone. 

The silence was deafening, Shirabu putting all his energy into not retching on the pavement in front of him. 

“Semi…” He says, voice too weak for his liking, “What do we do?” Shirabu kept his eyes trained forward to where Yahaba once was, only turning to look at Semi when he was met with silence. Semi’s brow was pinched, and he only snapped out of his thoughts when Shirabu hesitantly called out his name again. 

“We’ve got to get this back to the base, Satori can probably defuse it but we need to be quick.” And with that Semi was in motion, significantly less panicked then Shirabu but still obviously tense. He gently took the briefcase from Shirabu, pulling off his fingers carefully when he didn’t immediately let go. Shirabu, still dazed, made no protest as he did so and followed Semi when he began to run. 

“Kawanishi, what time is it?” Shirabu asked, On the other line Kawanishi hummed.

“About 6:15- Wait why is that important?” 

“So that we know what time the fucking  _ bomb  _ is gonna go off!” Shirabu said, exasperated. 

“If I had none this new guy was so feisty I would’ve made Yamagata do this” Taichi grumbled, 

“Not the time Taichi, complain later, right now I need you to get Satori and make sure he’s ready to diffuse a bomb” Semi chimed in, sounding out of breath from running. 

()()()

When Semi and Shirabu burst into the compound, those around them burst into energy along with them, almost as if the panic was contagious. Only a stoic, stone-faced, Ushijima seemed unfazed, watching with calculated eyes as everyone was pushed into motion. 

Semi wasted no time finding Tendou, shoving the briefcase into his arms harder than necessary. 

“Can you handle this Satori?” Semi hissed through clenched teeth, and Shirabu felt as if his already tightly wound center began to tighten more. 

“Are you doubting me SemiSemi?” Tendou’s eyes widened mockingly, a hand drawn to his chest, “Leave it to me!” And with that, the red head slipped away, briefcase in hand. 

Shirabu let out a sigh, the adrenaline wearing off. His limbs felt tired from all the running, but above that, his mind had been running in circles since they left, replaying Yahaba’s words. 

“Shirabu?” He startled at hearing his name, being met with coffee eyes, a pinched brow, a hand placed gently on his shoulder. “Are you oka-” 

“I’m fine Semi.” He said briskly, before the other could even finish his question. Semi seemed about to prod further but was interrupted when Tendou burst back into the room. He had a weird look on his face, bitter, surprised, Shirabu couldn’t quite tell. 

“I’ve never seen an explosive like this before.” He started,

“You can’t diffuse it?” Semi asked, sending a spike of fear into Shirabu’s heart. Tendou shook his head. 

“We’re gonna solve this with a controlled explosion.” Kawanishi lifted his head from where he had previously been hunched over a computer.

“You mean we get to blow shit up?” He raised an eyebrow, and Shirabu felt the urge to strangle him right then and there. 

“I sure do!” Tendou singsonged, “There’s a landfill not far from here. Semi, Shirabu, I need you two to take it there before it goes boom” 

“We won’t make it in time.” Shirabu argued, his heart thundering in his chest. 

“Not on foot we won’t…” Semi murmured. 

()()()

_ That  _ is how Shirabu found himself in the passenger seat of a beat up Toyota corolla, apparently owned by Tendou. 

“You can drive?” Shirabu asked incredulously, when Semi got behind the wheel. 

“Yes..?” Semi’s voice lacked conviction, and Shirabu let out a shaky sigh, gripping onto the arm rest. 

“Gun it.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyyy it sure has been a while. I've been procrastinating a lot since i've been really burnt out lately but I got my motivation back and so i'll try to post more often! <3


	14. A reckless drive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...Hi... I posted finally so uhm take this

Shirabu gripped the armrest so hard his knuckles turned white. Semi slammed his foot on the petal, causing the car to startle into motion, not taking long to hurtle forward at a concerning speed. 

“Holy Shit,” He breathed, squeezing his eyes shut.

“I mean you told me to gun it so-” Semi’s words were cut off when the car hit a speedbump jumping in a way that made Shirabu fear for his spinal cord. 

“What the fuck? I thought you said you could drive?” 

“I  _ can  _ drive, I never said I could do it well!” Shirabu held on for dear life as the car swerved, threatening to spin out. Thankfully not doing so when Semi quickly jerked the wheel in the opposite direction. 

“Reminder that there is a fucking  _ bomb  _ in my lap right now, ya know, just so you don’t swerve into a building or something and set it off in our faces!” Shirabu hissed. Semi gritted his teeth,

“We’re almost there, just trust me.” Shirabu shut his mouth, clenching his jaw in a way that would make orthodontists across the globe grimace. A part of him hoped the car would swerve off the road then and there, allowing him to avoid thinking about the weight of Semi’s words. Finally taking a deep breath he checked the time.

“Drive faster.” He muttered, resisting the urge to shut his eyes, once again. Semi turned to look at him incredulously, quickly turning back to the road when the car became unsteady. 

“Do you have a death wish or something?” He flexed his hands on the wheel. Shirabu almost laughed. 

“Arguably,” He hissed, “But if  _ you  _ don’t want to die then I’d suggest you speed up the fucking car so we can arrive on time to not get blown into pieces” There was a moment of stunned silence before he muttered, 

“As you wish.” 

Time seemed to move in slow motion. The city around them nothing but a blur of movement while Shirabu felt almost eerily still. His mind seemed to float away, leaving him still, dazed. He watched outside of himself as Semi gritted his teeth, body tense as he spotted the upcoming landfill. He continued to watch as a small smile graced his features, as he shook a dazed Shirabu’s shoulder, as he muttered something he couldn’t quite make out, prying the briefcase from his limp hands. 

Shirabu blinked, trying to come back to himself. He followed Semi out of the car counting down the minutes in his head.  _ 4 minutes 24 seconds, 4 minutes 23 seconds, 4 minutes 22 seconds.  _

“What are you waiting for?” He hissed, “Just throw it-” The words dried up in his throat when Semi turned to face him, smallest of smiles on his face.  _ How?  _ He wanted to scream.  _ After everything, how can you be smiling at me like that?  _

“Care to do the honors?” He held the briefcase out to him. Shirabu’s immediate instinct was to refuse. The scoff at the idiocy of it all and get back in the car. But instead he shook his head disbelievingly, a matching smile on his face as he took it by the handle, reeling his arm back before throwing it as far as his body would allow him to. 

A yell tore it’s way out of his throat as the briefcase left his hand, immediately landing in the sea of garbage. 

“3 minutes and 42 seconds,” When Semi looked at him in confusion he continued. “It goes off in 3 minutes and 42 seconds,”  _ Well 3 minutes and 36 seconds now _ , but he wasn’t going to start that loop. He met Semi’s eyes with a silent question, to which Semi nodded. 

Stepping back Semi offered his hand, and they stood together. Shirabu counting down under his breath…  _ 2 minutes and 20 seconds… 2 minutes… 1 minute and 45 seconds… 1 minute… 30 seconds… 3 seconds… 2 seconds  _ Shirabu braced himself, unconsciously squeezing Semi’s hand.  _ 1 second _ …. 

Suddenly, a spark of flame and smoke erupted in the distance, Shirabu’s blood going cold and his mind wandered to what could have been. 

“We’re safe,” Semi murmured, though Shirabu wasn’t quite sure if it was to Shirabu or himself, but he swallowed thickly and nodded in agreement. 

Taking a deep breath, Shirabu flinched when his earpiece flared to life, ungodly loud cheers filling his ear.  _ Mostly from Tendou _ . 

“ _ Shut the fuck up _ ,” He snapped, Though when his voice was drowned out he took out the earpiece resting to toss it into the landfill along with the ruins of the bomb. _ Instead  _ he stuffed it into his pocket, rolling his eyes when Semi raised a brow in his direction. 

“Now, Are you ready to drive home at a  _ reasonable  _ speed?” Shirabu asked, sliding into the passenger seat. Semi followed his lead, getting back into the car before chuckling.

“Yes, I’ll drive much slower this time,” He paused, turning to look Shirabu in the eyes, “Also, don’t think I forgot when you said you had a death wish. We  _ are  _ talking about that, but not right now.” 

“Just drive,” Shirabu groaned. Holding back a smile at Semi’s ridiculousness, maybe it was just the adrenaline making him want to smile from ear to ear. 

“As you wish,” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll post again soon I promise!!!! thank you for reading <3

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of No Strings Attached! it was incredibly fun to write (though a little embarrassing) Thank you so much for reading! I hope you liked it! <3


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